Islamabad: (Web Desk) The Service/maintenance charges on mobile scratch cards were being withdrawn on Monday to implement the order of the Supreme Court (SC).
The SC, in its order stated that telecom companies had stopped collecting/recovering their service/maintenance charges and will also not do so in the future in case the taxes are re-imposed.
On a scratch card of Rs100, a user will now receive a top-up of Rs88.9 instead of Rs76.94.
According to the officials of Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA), the service/maintenance charges amounting to Rs12.9 will no longer applicable on users.
There is a 12.5% withholding and 19.5% sales tax on the scratch cards, the PTA Officials added.
This is pertinent to mention here that former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice last year and ordered suspension in deduction of taxes prepaid on mobile phone scratch cards.
In April this year, the top court restored taxes on mobile scratch cards.
